Folding lunch-box



(No Model.)

A. BROWN & A. LIGHTNER.

. FOLDING LUNCH BOX. No.307,429. Pted Nov. 4,1884.

N. Pains, Phul0-Lilh0gnphen Washington, 0. c.

NlliFD drains Fa'rnn'r Prion.

ALFRED BROIVN AND ALVIN LIG-HTNER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

FOLDING LUNCH-=BOX.

SPECiFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,429, dated November 4, 1884. Application filed May 12, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED BROWN and ALVIN LIGHTNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Folding Lunch-Box, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to what are known as folding lunch-boxes; and it has forits object to combine in a lunch-box a receptacle for coffee or the like and a separate compartment for containing solid food, and, further, to provide a box of this character which, when folded, will occupy a very small space, and may be stored in the pocket of the user.

,A further object of the invention is to pro- .vide a device of this character which shall be cheap and simple in its construction and durable in use.

\Vith these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lunch-box constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig.2 is an elevation showing the same folded. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the box in position, showing the sides and ends ready to be adjusted to form the box shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. l isasection through the cover. Fig. 5 is a section on the line :0 ac of Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures, A represents the folding box, and B the cover thereof. This cover B con sists of an upper and lower side connected to form a compartment, a, for the reception of coffee, milk, or other liquid,and is provided with an opening, 0, screw-threaded and adapted to receive a cap, Z), to close the same. The sides of the cover project a slight distance beyond the compartment, as shown at d, and are turned downwardly to form flanges e, and on said sides, at the adjacent'ends of the cover, are formed slots or openings f, for a purpose which will be more fully described.

In Fig. 3 we have shown the manner of at taching the sides and ends to the bottom. The

.the bottom of the box.

sides and ends are turned in upon themselves to form a guide or groove, in which guide is a piece of stiff Wire extending entirely around The guide is cut away at suitable points on the sides and ends, thus leaving the wire exposed, and permitting ears 9 on the sides and ends to be bent around the same to form a hinge-connection. The ends of the sides are turned in upon themselves for a short distance to form a double thickness of metal, as seen at 72, while the ends are turned inwardly, as at t, and are provided on their outer sides with re-enforcing strips, which are also turned in, forming, in connection with the turned-in ends, a seat for the ends of the side portions, which, as before mentioned, are of a double thickness at their ends, thus tightly fitting in said seat.

In putting the box together the sides are first raised to avertieal position, and the ends raised to the same, the edges or ends of the sides fitting or resting in the seats formed on said ends. Upon the ends, and at the upper side thereof, are provided bails or loops D, over which bails or loops fit the slots in the ends of the cover, the downwardly-extending flanges of said cover inclosiug the sides and ends of the box.

E represents the handle, which is constructed, preferably, in three sections, the central section, lb, of which is provided with bails or loops at its ends, to which the two end sections are hinged by having their ends bent on said bails or loops. It will thus be seen that the two end sectionsmay be folded on the cen tral section, and the handle made to occupy but a minimum amount of space. The ends of the end sections are bent downwardly to form hooks 1;, and upon the under side of the end sections are provided flat springs j, adapted to bear against the under sides of said hooks to form a hook, and thus hold the handle in position when attached. The hooked ends of the handle are adapted to engage the bails projecting through the slots in the cover, as shown.

To fold the box it is only necessary to re move the handle and cover. The sides may then be folded back on the under side of the bottom, and the ends folded back on the folded sides. The box as thus folded may be placed in the cover-that is, 011 the under side therel formed at its ends with slots, through which ofand willbe nearly flush with the ends of the fiangesof the cover, in which posit-ion it may be readily placed in the pocket.

It will be seen from the above description that our box is simple in its construction, may be manufactured at aslight cost, and that it maybe readily folded to occupy a very small amount of space. It will also be seen that the box, spread or unfolded, as shown in Fig. 3, may be utilized as a plate, from which the user may eat his food.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination,with the sides and ends hinged to the bottom, of a cover for the same, and a handle for holding said parts in posis tion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the bottom, and the sides and ends hinged thereto, of a cover formed at its ends with slots, through which pass bails or loops 011 the ends of the box, and a handle adapted to engage said bails, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the bottom, and the sides and ends hinged thereto, of a cover pass bails or loops on the ends of the box, and a handle consisting of three hinged sections, the end sections having their ends bent downwardly to form hooks to engage the said bails or loops, and provided with springs to hold the same in engagement therewith, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the bottom, and the sides and ends hinged thereto, said ends being provided with seats for the reception of the ends of the sides, of a cover having downwardly-extending flanges and slots in its ends, said slots being adapted to receive bails or loops projecting upwardly from the ends of the box, and a jointed handle adapted to be removably attached thereto, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED BROWN.

ALVIN LIGHTNER.

\Vitnesses:

A. F. Barr, GHAs. E. CUMMINGS. 

